FCT Lift Ban On "Araba" Buses For 3 Weeks

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has suspended the ban on the use of commercial mini-buses (Araba) within Abuja for three weeks.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala  Mohammed,  gave this directive Wednesday night after meeting with stakeholders in the sector including the officials of the Mini-Buses Union, FCT chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) respectively, the FCT Police Commissioner as well as Director, Department of State Security.

Mohammed also announced the setting up of a committee to be chaired by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Anthony Ozodinobi, to fine-tune its implementation.

He said all the stakeholders including the FCT chapters of the NLC/TUC respectively, the police, VIO, FRSC, and members of the civil society organization are being represented on the implementation committee.

The minister insisted that there would be no going back on the policy as it was for the good of all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

“The other transportation related policy including but not limited to car mart, car wash and illegal motor parks scattered in and around the FCT already banned will also be enforced,” he said.

Mohammed also lamented that even the FCT Park-and-Pay policy had faced similar challenges but added that the enforcement of such ban/measures are the only solution to sanitising the transport-related problems in the city.